The Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE) is pleased to announce the newly established Panama-Canada Graduate Student Mobility Program. Drawing from its’ extensive experience in scholarship administration for international partners, CBIE will act as the program manager on behalf of its two Panamanian government agencies: the National Secretariat for Science, Technology and Innovation (SENACYT) and the Institute for the Formation and Use of Human Resources (IFARHU).

The program will offer up to 15 scholars per year, the opportunity to pursue graduate studies at Canadian universities. The awarded scholarships may be for a maximum of six years and can include master programs, Ph.D. studies or a combination of both, primarily in STEM fields of study. Prior to beginning their academics, scholarship recipients will be eligible for up to 12 months of full-time English as a second language (ESL) training .The first cohort of scholars will begin their ESL studies in January 2019.

“CBIE is very proud to be working with SENACYT and IFARHU in order to bring more Panamanian MA and PhD students to its high quality member institutions across the country. What began as dialogue on the margins of CBIE’s 2015 annual conference about why more Panamanian students did not choose to study in Canada has blossomed into a strong partnership that is well positioned to change that situation.”

This scholarship program further strengthens the vibrant bilateral relationship between Canada and Panama and will enable Panamanian scholars to contribute to the sustainable development of their home country through research and academic excellence.

CBIE is Canada’s national organization dedicated to making Canada a global leader in international education. CBIE’s pan-Canadian membership comprises 150 colleges, institutes, universities, school boards and language schools which enrol over 1.2 million students from coast to coast.

The National Secretariat of Science, Technology and Innovation (SENACYT) of the Republic of Panama is an autonomous institution that aims to strengthen, support and promote the development of science, technology and innovation with the purpose of raising the level of productivity, competitiveness and modernization in the private sector, government, the academic-research sector of Panama.

The Institute for the Formation and Use of Human Resources (IFARHU) is the governmental agency dedicated to the development of human capital in Panama through scholarships and educational loans that contribute to the economic and social advancement of the country.